Seems like every year around this time, the issue of requalifying hits us. So, planning out as far as possible helps-I'm ticketed through my June trip back to the US, and looking for dates in the fall/winter. I normally use awards for positioning, as suggested, then just book end on end, as I know my schedule and it's not too costly to go from ICN to my home in China, burning some cheap/free UA miles, etc. This obviously doesn't work for everyone, and remember, you end up in ICN as well, so you have to weigh the costs of a possible RT award/other fare for positioning to and from.